Customer Service Policy

Our approach

Our clients are our number one priority – they are the basis of our business. That makes good customer service essential. Everyone at Limestone needs to understand our clients’ needs and respond to their reasonable requests sympathetically and professionally. Knowing our clients and what they need lets us give the right service, earn repeat business and build a good reputation by word of mouth.

This policy sets out how we expect every member of staff to deliver an excellent level of service every time we deal with a client. All staff are trained in, and observed using, these procedures so that every contact we have with a client reflects our approach.

Telephone

All staff must know how to use the phone system, including:

answering calls
putting calls on hold and transferring them
retrieving messages

We aim to answer all calls within three rings.

Anyone answering the phone should use our standard greeting: “Good morning/afternoon, Limestone, how can I help you?”

Be courteous and pleasant with every caller, and speak clearly and evenly.

Repeat back the important points of the conversation so the client knows they have been heard and the details have been recorded correctly.
Confirm the details of any appointment made or information being sent.
Before ending the call, ask if there’s anything else you can help with.
End the call by thanking the client for calling.

Face to face

Staff who meet clients face to face should be well presented:

smart casual or business dress for office staff
hair, jewellery and piercings tidy and discreet
tattoos covered where possible

Be courteous and pleasant (and smile) with every client, and speak clearly and evenly.

The following information must be on display in the office, or somewhere similarly prominent, and staff should know enough about it to answer clients’ questions:

The Property Ombudsman consumer guide
The Property Ombudsman Code of Practice for Residential Letting Agents
our complaints procedure
our Propertymark Client Money Protection certificate
the list of services we provide to landlords
the list of fees charged to landlords and tenants
details of where tenants’ deposits are protected

Email and written communication

Emails and letters should be as professional and courteous as our phone calls and face-to-face conversations.

Respond to all emails within 24 hours.
Start formal communications – such as confirming a valuation or viewing – with “Dear” and the appropriate title (Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr or other).
Less formal communications can start with “Hello” and the client’s first name.
Keep the message clear, professional and courteous, and check spelling and grammar before sending.

Handling complaints

When a client is unhappy, whether by phone, face to face or in writing, staff should:

show empathy and listen carefully to the client
offer a solution where possible, and ask the client whether it is acceptable
if the issue can’t be resolved there and then, pass it to the office manager straight away

All complaints must be handled in line with our complaints procedure. This includes acknowledging the complaint in writing within 3 working days and sending the client a copy of the procedure. Every complaint must be recorded in the Customer Complaints and Feedback file.

Customer feedback

Customer feedback forms are clearly displayed in the office.
Staff encourage clients to give feedback on every part of their experience with us.
All feedback, whether written on a form or given verbally, is recorded in the Customer Complaints and Feedback file.

Management uses the Customer Complaints and Feedback file to: